File this one under hopeful, but AT&T via their support forums have confirmed that the Windows Phone 8 GDR2 OS update and accompanying Amber firmware from Nokia has been cleared for the Lumia 820 and 920.

ETA? Tomorrow, October 10th.

Now we should be clear that this isn’t an AT&T or Nokia press release and Nokia’s own webpage has not yet been updated to reflect this news (it still says ‘waiting for approval’). However, a Community Manager did post the information, and it seems too detailed and confident to just be a rumor. Indeed, the Community Manager is an employee of AT&T so it has some credibility to it.

The posting specifically states:

“AT&T has completed testing the Nokia Lumia 820/920 Windows Phone software update on our network. We expect Microsoft to make the update available beginning 10/10. When the software update is available for you to download, Windows Phone will notify you so you can download it directly over a Wi-Fi connection. We appreciate your patience.”

That sounds like a slam dunk to our ears but of course until we start to see it rollout, usually at 1PM ET, we’ll still take it with a grain of salt.

The AT&T Nokia Lumia 820 and 920 are some of the last devices to get the GDR2 and Amber updates. Users have becoming increasingly strident at the delay, becoming very vocal in AT&T and Windows Phone Central communities. At least now there appears to be some light at the end of the tunnel.

It was just nine days ago that AT&T stated the updates were coming in the “coming weeks” and that now appears to be the case.

AT&T stripped Data Sense from the Amber/GDR2 version that was delivered on the Lumia 1020s, and I was told by an AT&T representative that the update also would not include Data Sense. The representative said that initial tests had some network problems caused by the update, but I don't buy that argument.
When I heard that Data Sense would not be coming, I went ahead and flashed the ROM on my Lumia 920 to unbrand AT&T (flashed to Rogers and European Developer versions), then it immediately received the complete Amber/GDR2 update (including Data Sense) and my phone has not experienced any network issues. In fact, it is working better than ever. If not for the voided warranty and small risk of bricking the phone, my wife would also flash her phone. I won't update to a new device (e.g. 1020) until AT&T begins delivering the full OS and updates, or I may just move my family and company accounts to Verizon.

I thought no one was able to flash back to stock rom. Most people were saying once you take the ota on pre-portico Rogers, you cannot get back. Can you share how you flashed back on juan6996's guide post in Lumia 920 forum here?

The trick for me was trying different versions of NCS. I kept getting the incorrect FFU error so I would just uninstall NCS and remove all traces of Nokia on my system reinstall oldest version of NCS that I could find with the usercfg hack.

Please share instructions, i want to get rid of the AT&T build, it has lots of restrictions.

AT&T arm twists nokia to remove some settings and features, u cannot swap between 2g and 3g. 3g drains a lot of battery and there is no way in hell to move to 2g to save battery life. There is no data sense and there are many other settings missing.

This is something a custom rom can fix. Unfortunately, the last time I checked (it's been awhile thought), no one over at XDA-Developers has put out rom tools for the new Windows Phone 8 rom format for all of the device roms.

You have probably seen this. It is worth an article. Very cool... I see a Lens within the Nokia Camera to take images that will work best on the Glance screen. I tried to use a regular photo, but it doesn't come out too well. But the stock images they include look great.

Yeah, if even the unlocked/unbranded country variant for the Italian 920 isn't released yet then AT&T people need to shut their pie holes. I mean, carriers is one thing but a country variant not released yet? That is absurd!

Not really...
I am Italian and I bought my phone in Rome.
IT Country Variant
Firmware 1326.2006
Rm-821_eu_italy_310
Mobile operator 000 IT
Besides all my friends there who own a Lumia have received the update.

Yes, I have that firmware.
And no, I don't want to update manually... mainly because I will lose the apps data that, thanks to MS, I cannot back up. Thanks anyway.
Anyway, Nokia has just released the amber update for the 820s *.0003, so I hope that for the 920s may be relased anytime soon.

The thing is that if you have an at&t (rm820) 920, you can't safely flash it with another rom (I mean completely safely) if you have an rm821 you can. For example we don't have Amber in Peru yet, but I had flashed an 620 and its working like a charm, plus now its unbranded

that does sound like a good deal for your situation, but there's no way i'd ever use up 5 gb anyway. tbh my 2gb plan is already too much for me. i'd be paying twice as much money (since i'm part of a family plan) for features i don't even use. but i guess in that sense it's analogous to requiring a data plan for smartphones.
blackberry should really get att to change that policy since it's clear with BB10 they are trying to break into the mainstream market.

You do realize that there are still even some unlocked/unbranded country variants that haven't released Amber yet, do you? Let alone carriers. I'm not saying you didn't have the right to, I'm just saying that there are people outside of AT&T also still waiting.

Daniel, this site is so much fun because of the community. I even laugh out loud at the some of the comments and the way that community comes together around topics and even each other's comments. I understand that it takes away from constructive conversation, but most of the time that happens when there is something to talk about. Otherwise, it is just the community expressing their feelings. Forums are fine, but the diversity is found in the comment section.

It wasn't any worse than the Cult of Instagram spamming every article and even with options available to them, they STILL complain.
The off-topic stuff should all cease. With that in mind, I'm glad that AT&T will be releasing this OS update. I'm annoyed that they'd remove Data Sense.
Should we start PRE-complaining about GDR3??? :)

I have to disagree with you on this point. If this is a sign of things to come, whats not to say that when a major update does come out like, for example, 8.1, that it too will be delayed for months. AT$T is a huge company with unlimited resources in one of the richest countries in the world, there should be no excuse as to why their customers are not receiving the updates on day one, in fact they should pride themselves on that.

This might be a first, definitely can't remember another time, but I do not agree with you. As to your last comment. Any and every complaint made is always coming from one/group of people. So in this instance you failed to see the point therefore you were "frustrated and disappointed". I felt the same frustration about stupid instagram, however over at&t I found myself amused and relieved at most comments. So there you have two examples two different groups one I liked one I didn't but that's what makes this place so great. When I come here I never know what I'm going to get and it leaves me coming back to this specific community more than any other. Just my opinion though, hopefully it will ease your frustration. :)

I on the other hand voice simple complaints on point in the right posts about the company getting so many exclusives taking so long on a update. Give me a break they certainly don't waste any time collecting my money for there overpriced service.

From day 1 my images have looked like they were taken by a blind man riding a donkey. Honestly, I don't understand why everyone thought the 920 has such a great camera. It has been on par with most cell phone cameras I have had over the years.